Removal of Heavy Metals using Amine Crosslinked Reduced Graphene Oxide

Abstract

Graphene oxide was synthesized by modified Hummers method and then reduced with hydrazine hydrate to obtain reduced graphene oxide. (3aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane used as a precursor for amine functionalized reduced graphene oxide. The amine functionalized nanoparticles were characterized using FT-IR, TGA, Raman, N2 sorption, SEM and TEM techniques. The surface area was found to be 346 m/g due to functionalization of amine over reduced graphene oxide. The amine functionalized nanoparticles were used as adsorbent for the removal of heavy metals from aqueous solution. The adsorption of heavy metal was high for the reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites when compared to bare amine functionalized nanoparticles. The maximum adsorption reached within fifteen minutes.